My first skillet restoration

[badGamer]

I just picked up this skillet from a thrift store and tried restoring it for the first time. I used oven cleaner to strip it completely. Then I washed it well and gave it a vinegar bath.
But now I have a problem. Every time I try to oil it, I keep getting this strange gray or green color on my towel. I wipe and wipe, and the residue just won't stop showing up. I included photos of the skillet and my oily towel for you to see. I think it might be a Vollrath skillet or something. What could this strange color be and what can I do to finally stop it? Maybe I didn't rinse the vinegar off long enough or is there something else I missed during the stripping process?

 

[m4cchiato]

The grey or green residue is a mix of dissolved carbon from the iron and potentially iron acetate from the vinegar bath. that is actually a normal result of a deep strip. the skillet isn't ruined, it's just been stripped down to the bare metal

 

[BigBob75]

Very good to know! Thank you. God Bless. Bob

 

[blind archer]

How about try scrubbing the pan with steel wool and baking soda before oiling again?